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Amendment 49
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Independence Institute President Jon Caldara
Amendment 49, also known as the Limitation on Public Payroll Deductions Initiative, aims to ban deductions, mainly consisting of union dues, from the paychecks of public employees such as teachers, cops and firefighters.
In 2001, former Governor Bill Owens signed a "paycheck protection" executive order that prohibited the deductions, but the order was overturned by a 2007 order signed by current Governor Bill Ritter.
Supporters of Amendment 49, which is sponsored by the Independence Institute, argue that the state government should not be funneling money to unions that then turn around and lobby the government on behalf of its own employees. The Independence Institute's President Jon Caldara argues that, "if unions want their members' money, they're gonna have to go to the member directly and ask them first."
Opposition to the amendment is led by Protect Colorado's Future, whose central argument is that employees in the private sector would still have the right to donate a portion of of their paychecks to their unions, and that public sector employees are therefore being unfairly singled out.
